Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Bombers draw inspiration from movie 300
Bombers Michael Bishop, right, shows some love to teammate Glenn January during practice this morning. (JOE.BRYKSA@FREEPRESS.MB.CA )
WINNIPEG — It is a game that doesn't need any spin other than it's 'win or go home' for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
That said, the Bombers will draw inspiration from any source and that's why most of the locker room was mesmerized by the movie 300 playing on the clubhouse TVs after the final preparations were completed for tomorrow's critical contest with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
A Bomber victory would improve them to 8-10 and means they would finish second in the East Division — Hamilton, should it lose, would fall to 8-10 and lose the tiebreaker after dropping two of three to Winnipeg in the season series. That would set up a Hamilton at Winnipeg match-up again next Sunday in the East Semifinal.
A Bomber loss ends their 2009 season and would mean the B.C. Lions would qualify as the crossover team and would travel to Hamilton for the East Semifinal. The Ticats, courtesy Edmonton's win over the Lions yesterday, have already qualified for the postseason.
"This is an important game, but I don't want our guys to be overwhelmed by it," said Bomber head coach Mike Kelly. "I don't want the 'do-or-die', 'in-or-out' stuff to weigh too heavily on them. I've tried to keep things as loose as I could all week long for them because we play like a pack of wolves when we're just out there enjoying the game.
"That's probably my biggest worry: I just want us to go out and be 'us' and not be all tight about if we don't win this game what's going to happen."
The Bombers expect to have most of their banged-up personnel back for Sunday's game — kickoff is at noon — as defensive backs Jovon Johnson and Jonathan Hefney both practised, while linebacker Joe Lobendahn will return to share time with Barrin Simpson.
The availability of special-teams ace Shawn Gallant, who injured his knee, will likely be a game-time decision.
The Ticats, meanwhile, suffered a potentially huge blow at practice yesterday when kicker/punter Nick Setta was injured. He'll be replaced by former Rutgers kicker Jeremy Ito, who was actually cut by the team on Thursday. Sunday will be Ito's first CFL game.
But back to the Bombers...
It's only fitting that the team would be fixated by the movie 300 after practice Saturday. It's is the story of the 300 Spartans to battled over one million Persians to the death and this team, if nothing else, has been battling those kind of long odds after falling to 3-8 in September.
"You can't go wrong with 300, Troy, Alexander... those are all great movies. Very inspirational," said linebacker Ike Charlton.
"We've got one focus right now: to get a 'W' because if we don't win, we go home. We all know the magnitude and importance of this game. We respect our opponent, but we want to win. We're not leaving here today without a 'W.'"
The Bombers are hoping for a sell-out crowd of 29,533 for the contest and were up to 28,025 as of 4:30 p.m.. The team's diehards have rallied this week with a pep rally, the foundation of a new fan club and have been pushing the Blue Out promotion asking all in attendance to come decked out in Bomber blue. The early arrivals at the stadium Sunday will receive a Blue Out rally towel.
The game will also be a salute to the Armed Forces with a fly over prior to kickoff, a colour-guard ceremony and a military obstacle course at halftime with the Navy, Army and Air Force competing against each other.
"We want to go out and put a good showing on and get this Blue Out thing going," said Charlton. "We needed that, but we didn't really need it in this locker room, if you know what I'm saying. We know what we need to do as a team. This is what you play sports for. I'm not ready to go home. I mean, look how beautiful it is outside right now."
History
Updated on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 4:48 PM CST:
Updates ticket sales figures.
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PREVIOUS
9 Comments
Posted by: wpg_guy204
November 8, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Kickoff in an hour and a half! GO BLUE! Will be there loud and proud. Steelers2008, you suck, and so do the Steelers. GO PACK!
Posted by: Krystyn
November 8, 2009 at 9:41 AM
We don't need "fans" like steelers2008. Sure Kelly's made mistakes this year, but what head coach doesn't during their first year. Look at the poor Argos' coach, Bart what's his name? Could he have had a worse year? I feel sorry for him, actually, but Kelly will improve. His public relations skills will get better, I'm sure, as will his coaching skills. Sure he's no Bud Grant, but give the guy a break. GO BOMBERS GO!
Posted by: Mr. McGoo
November 8, 2009 at 9:24 AM
The Spartans lost!!!
Posted by: galeforce
November 7, 2009 at 9:38 PM
I was at practice today and Coach Kelly took time afterward to stop by and chat with us fans, in spite being very busy preparing for the biggest game of the year to date.
If the players want inspiration they need look no further than themselves. They took their accumulation of fines $$ paid, which normally goes toward a party, and bought a block of Sunday game tickets for charitable organizations. This gesture alone speaks volumes as to the character of this team.
Win or lose, this team and their coach(es) will remain #1 in the hearts of True Blue fans everywhere.
Posted by: SPBartlette
November 7, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Maybe if they lose they can hire the maker of 300 to rewrite history for them too.
Posted by: ob13
November 7, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Go BLUE!
Posted by: steelers2008
November 7, 2009 at 4:29 PM
You all been con by kelly, He's done nothing for winnipeg but curse at the fans.
Posted by: zeke
November 7, 2009 at 3:49 PM
good luck coach kelly and the entire team. If bombers play to their capablities we will have more football this year. If not with the youth and coaching the team has it is in good hands for the future. It would be a huge mistake to release Coach Kelly, when this team is making significant progress.
Posted by: itsme
November 7, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Go Blue Go,I know you can do it.
I'll be there for you tomorrow..